1. EXCLUSIVE Q&A SESSION WITH
ROGER KELLY
INSTITUTE OF ACOUSTICS, UK
&
MATTHEW CARTER
DIRECTOR/GENERAL MANAGER MIDDLE EAST
ACOUSTIC LOGIC
FOR
10 - 13 April, 2011, Riyadh Marriott Hotel, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Q&A conducted by
All opinions and statements in this interview are of the interviewee themselves and do not
reflect the opinion(s) of IQPC and/ or its personnel.

2. Speaker key:
RK: Roger Kelly
MC: Matthew Carter
IQPC: Acoustics in construction is not a new concept among seasoned
practitioners in the Middle East; however it is only recently that this
industry has received increased visibility. How do you see the industry
growing in a booming construction economy like Saudi Arabia?
RK: Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East are
upgrading their building infrastructure: theatres, concert halls,
cinemas, schools, universities, media facilities as well as
residential and hotel accommodation, offices, hospitals etc. All of
these building types require careful acoustic design to ensure that
noise producing spaces are protected from noise sensitive spaces and that
the acoustics are suitable for the function of the space. Therefore careful
acoustic design will be required to ensure that the highest degree of acoustic
functionality is achieved. Inevitably clients will realise the importance of this by
either failing to employ an acoustic consultant resulting in buildings that are
not fit for purpose, or conversely by investing in proper design advice and
being delivered high quality buildings.
MC: I see acoustics taking a similar path to the remainder of the
Middle East, fail first and then see value in it being included to
some degree. Where Saudi has the option to differ is via learning
from the mistakes of the Middle East. It is not hard to find a
complainer in the ME on the apartment they are living in for over
hearing neighbours, noisy plantroom etc.
IQPC: There is a concern in the industry that due to a lack of good
frameworks and regulations regarding acoustics in construction in the
region, developers and contractors don’t give much importance to or
heed compliance. What is your opinion on this concern?
RK: In the UK and Europe standards dictate minimum
performances for most buildings and guidance documents are
published to help designers to achieve these performances.
Clients in our region are very aware of the consequences of
overlooking the acoustics requirements as many buildings have
failed to perform. Consequentially almost all projects will have a competent
acoustic consultancy responsible for evaluating and producing the correct
acoustic design for the building. In the Middle East designers need to adopt
suitable standards and use competent acoustic consultants with the relevant
experience to enable them to deliver high quality buildings.
All opinions and statements in this interview are of the interviewee themselves and do not
reflect the opinion(s) of IQPC and/ or its personnel.

3. MC: Totally agree. Acoustics, even in a visible market such as
ME region is often seen as a cost or an add-on for status
tier/market position. Without regulation developers and builders
remain unaccountable to a large degree
IQPC: What do you feel an event like Acoustics in Construction Saudi
Arabia should bring to the table in order to help the industry at large in
Saudi Arabia?
RK: It will help the attendees to understand many of the acoustic
issues they will encounter and provide suggestions about who can
help them solve these issues, how this will happen and the value
of using competent acousticians.
MC: Acoustics in Construction in Saudi should be a promotion of
acoustics, its value and viability along with past mistakes of the
ME in general. Only by pointing out the cost of past mistake can
the unfamiliar see importance
IQPC: What can attendees expect in your session? How would you like
them to prepare in order to benefit from it?
RK: I will explain the importance of the Institute of Acoustics and
its role in helping and educating its members, the standards and
guidance documents available and then highlight some examples
of successful buildings in the Middle East that have been designed
by some of our members. The IOA has 3,000 members of which
over 300 are Chartered Engineers, and 1,097 registered companies.
MC: Attendees can expect an informative/concise perspective on
acoustics from my experiences both in the ME and internationally.
I aim to highlight the importance of acoustics, show that it can be
value adding and ultimately strengthen its place. There is no
preparation necessary other than being open to discussion and a
sound perspective.
The Acoustics in Construction Saudi Arabia summit will take place from
10-13 April 2011, Riyadh Marriott Hotel, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
For more information or to register, call on +971 4 364 2975, email us on
enquiry@iqpc.ae or visit the website at
www.acousticsinconstruction.com
All opinions and statements in this interview are of the interviewee themselves and do not
reflect the opinion(s) of IQPC and/ or its personnel.